The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-30
NEGROES IN THE SOUTH.
Senator Colquitt's Fair Representation of
Their Present Condition.

NEGROES IN THE SOUTH.
Senator Colquitt's Fair Representation of
Their Present Condition.
The question of the alleged surpres-
sion of the negro vote in the South has
for some years been comparatively
quicscent, but now the trainers of
political platforms are striving to
bring it to the front, and it may be
that they will succeed, as they have
succeeded before, in arousing Sec
tional luminosity. We are, however,
encouraged to believe that, in the
estimation of the people of the United
States, four years of civil war sufficed
for all purposes, and that the desire
of our fellow-citizens of the
North and South is for peace
and harmony. We believe fur
Their that the people of the United
States are disposed to recognize in
public opinion the most effective in
strumentality for the redress of every
wrong. 1t is becoming clearer every
day that peace and not strife should
characterize the mutual relations of
the North and South-sections of a
great country which purports to be a
federation of commonwealth based
upon fraternity and good faith.
Twenty-four years of reflection and
counting the cost" it does seem,
should convince all men and parties
that the continued effort of certain
journals and politicians to embitter
the people of the more populous Sec
ton OF the country against the twelve
millions of their fellov-citizens in the
South is not exactly the best means of
promoting the national welfare.
For some years we in the South
have been congratulating ourselves
that we had all gone manfully to work
repairing the waste places (of which
we had many, and seeking, under I'M
wonted conditions, new avenues to
profitable industry. Some of these
avenues we have discovered, and are
hopefully entering them. Of one
thing friends and foes may rest as
sured, that the people of the Southern
States are not so foolish as to believe
their peace, their prosperity, or even
their safety, can be assured if moiety
Of the population is treated with in
justice and denied its rights in the
State. And though the assertion will
be challenged, l. nevertheless affirm
that a sense of moral and religious re-
sponsibility is restraining and direct
ing us in our State polity and practice;
and considering the tremendous him
ORANGES and distractions that have
been in our way, I think we have had
more than an average success in dis
charging the obligations imposed up
on us.
The results of our efforts are our
sufficient vindication with all, save the
blind partisans who have condemned
the Southern people to outlawry.
Take the State of Georgia, of which l
may properly speak. In 1861 our real
estate was worth, say, in round num-
bers, 1872, 100000. In 1865 the frightful
depletion and waste of war made the
account stand $191, 100000 The State
returns for 1886 place our taxable
property at 1907, 507, 578, and the re-
turns for the present year show an in
crease of probably $4,000, 900 over the
last. We have increased the school
enrolment, since 1871, from 1858
white and black, to 3O9,594 in 1885.
In 1871 the colored children
in our school, numbered 6,664.
In 1885 we were providing for 119, 24S,
and we may infer in advance of the
returns for the year 1886 and 1887,
taking former increments as guide,
that the colored children now attend
ing public schools in this State num-
Der 49, 900.
I believe fairly represent the over
whelming preponderence Of public
opinion in Georgia when say that it
is deemed wise policy, resting on
principles Of justice, to have the COL
ored people of the State educated, and,
so far from placing distractions in the
way, to afford all proper and possible
facilities for that end.-Senator COL
quit, IN Forum.